The phrase “family prayer” brings to mind the picture of family members gathered for a meal, taking time to read the Bible and to ask God’s blessing on the food and the day’s activity.  Though family prayer is not limited to mealtime devotions, this simple scene conveys the warmth and togetherness that mark the family’s time for prayer.

Family prayers are a time for real worship to happen in the context of the family.  For this reason it is important that they include not only parents but also children.  Sometimes the prayers are limited to a blessing before meals.  Other times they include an opening blessing and a closing devotional time --- a time to share joys and concerns and read a Bible passage together.  This closing prayer can link together both the concerns mentioned, prayers answered and the application of the Bible verses read.

In some situations the opening prayer may look back on the day’s activities and ahead to night time and a new day coming.  Sometimes family prayer takes place in other contexts such as in the evening before bedtime or specific days of the week.  It need not be limited to mealtime devotions, although mealtime is one of the few times during the day that the whole family is usually together.

Family prayer time is a natural place to grow and mature spiritually.  The time of spiritual togetherness creates a bond between family members, reinforcing the strength of the home.  It helps family members to be nurtured individually and to be drawn together into a spiritual bond of unity with one another and with God.

The family is the most basic “small group” within a church fellowship.  As such, it is a natural place for children to learn to pray aloud and to join in with the prayer of others.  Most children will learn to pray by modeling what they hear and see their parents do.  Family prayer time should be the place where they feel safest and most secure in making up their own public prayers to God.

Family prayer time also gives children the opportunity to air the concerns of their day, to talk about the needs of their friends, to share their feelings and to reconcile tensions between family members.

Family prayer time is not a magical guarantee, however, of your children’s spiritual health and growth.  Children learn much more about spirituality by the way we relate to them than by the words we say at family devotions.  The way parents treat their children in daily living has more impact on their children’s eventual spiritual development than the family’s religious practices.  It is the daily living out of the Jesus Christ in your life before your children that will have the most lasting spiritual impact in their young lives.

Pray for God to help you establish a family prayer time in your home.

Pray for wisdom about when, where and how often your family will pray together.

Pray for spiritual unity within your family.

Parents share your concerns, joys and needs in prayer with your children.

Pray for other families in the church who may be struggling with this issue.

Pray that your family with be gospel light to other families around yours.